Calling all aspiring game developers. Microsoft’s annual Dream.Build.Play Challenge for Independent Game Developers is once again upon us. Bringing forth games like Dust: An Elysian Tail, Prismatic Solid, and Beat Hazard, the competition challenges indie developers to develop a game for Xbox LIVE using Microsoft’s XNA Game Studio for a chance at a percentage of the $75,000 prize, exposure on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, and a chance at an Xbox LIVE Arcade publishing contract.

The idea of Microsoft encouraging aspiring developers to take a shot at developing a new original title is some thing I’m a big fan of and it is always interesting to see what kind of ideas get entered into the competition. For more information about Dream.Build.Play, check out the full press release.

With only a month left until The 3rd Birthday, the latest installment of the Parasite Eveseries, hits US shores, Square Enix has decided to treat us to a new trailer to get us pumped up for the US release. It’s been about 11 years since the last game was released, and, all I can say is, it’s about time.

I always worried Parasite Eve would be one of those series that would wind up falling into obscurity, given that the series practically fell off the map following the release of Parasite Eve 2. However, news about a mobile phone sequel named The 3rd Birthday came to light, followed by an announcement in 2008 that the game would instead be released on the Sony PlayStation Portable. As a fan, I was excited.

Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to fire up your time circuits. After two months of waiting, the second installment of Telltale Games’ five-part Back to the Future series, “Get Tannen!”, finally hit the web last week.

A point-and-click adventure game in the same vein as Tales of Monkey Island or Sam & Max, the first episode of the series, “It’s About Time”, proved that a decent Back to the Future game was in fact possible to make. Thankfully, “Get Tannen!” proves it wasn’t just a fluke, offering an interesting experience that builds on what Telltale established with the first installment of the series.

Today is a day of rejoicing for the gaming community. After years of under representation and demonizing by both the government and the media, the gaming community finally has a voice within the U.S. government with the formation of the Congressional Caucus for Competitiveness in Entertainment Technology, or E-TECH for short.

Attention all Monday Night Combat fans. In honor of Valentines Day, Uber Entertainment has released a new Valentines themed update for Monday Night Combat. Featuring a new set of gear, Valentine-related effects, and an in-game music video, the update also includes some new features, along with important adjustments and fixes. Be sure to give the “You are My Pitgirl” music video a look. It’s pretty hilarious.

Ever since the release of X-Men: The Last Stand, my opinion about the recent X-Men films has been quite negative. X-Men Origins: Wolverine didn’t help much either, so I’m understandably skeptical about X-Men: First Class. Yet, after watching the trailer, I can’t help but wonder if this will be the X-Men film that saves the franchise.

Marvel VS Capcom 3 has yet to hit stores and already Capcom is rolling out announcements of upcoming downloadable content. While DLC should be no surprise, especially with the announcement of Jill Valentine and Shuma-Gorath being DLC characters a few months back, this particular DLC mode is probably not what many people expected to see.

Called “Shadow Mode”, this new mode will pit players against various AI-controlled teams based on famous players and custom built teams with their own special techniques. Each Shadow Mode DLC pack comes with three AI-teams, the first set to be released including AIs based on MvC3 Producer Ryota Niitsuma, Assistant Producer Akihito Kadowaki, and a QA team leader.

If you’ve been following every single bit of Marvel VS Capcom 3 news since the game was announced last year, this next announcement may come as no surprise to you. With the roster fully unveiled and DLC characters such as Jill Valentine and Shuma-Gorath announced, only one thing has remained concealed, or at least as concealed as possible when the internet is involved; the Final Boss.

For those of you that aren’t yet aware, look no further. Capcom has finally unveiled the Big Bad behind Marvel VS Capcom 3; the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus. They’ve also released a gameplay video and screenshots showcasing Galactus in all his devastating glory.

Now, I’m not that great when it comes to fighting games. It is my one great shame as a gamer. But even so, I’ve never been one to pass up some Street Fighteraction and, despite my personal limitations in the genre, I still know a thing or two.

Attention all Marvel vs. Capcom fans in the Los Angeles area: tomorrow night in Los Angeles, iam8bit will be hosting a Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club event in LA. Featuring not only MvC3 itself, Super Street Fighter 4: 3D will be playable on the 3DS.